2013 National Conference Speaker/ Session Spotlight

Gillian Green, JD, is an attorney and parent of a child with CAS. She graduated with honors from Stanford Law School in 2005, and worked for several years at a national law firm in the field of contracts, licensing, and negotiations. In 2011, she started her own firm, also focusing on contracts and licensing, and works on a pro bono basis as a special education advocate for parents of children with disabilities. She lives and works in Colorado, and is the facilitator of the Colorado parents of children with apraxia group.

“I attended last year’s national conference in Boston and found it to be extremely educational as well as hopeful. Being a parent of a child with CAS can feel quite lonely at times and the effort to help our kids can seem daunting. But being at a conference with other parents and educators who want to help our kids as best they can is so affirming. It makes you feel part of a team, and gives you that energy boost and the knowledge that you can make a difference for your child, and you can help them find their voices!”

GILLIAN GREEN’S NATIONAL CONFERENCE SESSION 306A Walk through the IEP: An Overview of Special Education Law and CAS
Among the many challenges facing a parent of a child with CAS is how to best advocate for that child’s needs – especially when it comes to school supports and services. This presentation will outline the basics of federal special education law and protections, as well as some specifics regarding Colorado state laws. We’ll then move to the basics of an IEP meeting, what parents can – and should – expect to result from the meeting, and what happens after the meeting. We’ll discuss specific IEP goals and objectives relevant to CAS, as well as common misconceptions that prevent some parents from maximizing the impact they can have on the services their child receives. There will be time at the end of the presentation for questions and answers.

Learning Outcomes:

Participants will be able to discuss the basics of the IEP process and applicable law.

Participants will be able to recognize common misconceptions about the IEP process and parent involvement.

Participants will be able to identify strategies to become more effective advocates for their children with CAS.

“I think having the conference in Denver will be an amazing opportunity for parents, researchers, and educators to learn the current best practices for helping our kids with CAS and then bring those ideas out into our community. For parents, I think it’s going to be a chance to connect with other parents, educate themselves, and really build an active, supportive community. And for all of us, raising awareness of apraxia in the media and press is so important for our kids; having the conference here will really help us to educate our own family, friends, and neighbors about what CAS is, and how we can all encourage and support our kids.”